Damian Green quits cabinet over cover-up of office porn

Theresa May forced Damian Green, her deputy and closest ally, to resign tonight after he admitted making “inaccurate and misleading” statements about pornography found on his parliamentary computer.

In the biggest resignation of the Westminster sex scandal, Mr Green was found to have lied when he denied knowledge of indecent material found on his Commons computer by police in 2008.

A Cabinet Office inquiry also concluded that allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards Kate Maltby, a Tory activist and journalist 30 years his junior, were “plausible”.

In a letter to Mr Green released by Downing Street at 9pm on the last day before parliamentary recess, Mrs May said it was with “deep regret” that she had asked him to step down but his conduct fell short of the “high standards” the public demanded. She rounded on former police for divulging the contents of Mr Green’s computer, which were uncovered during a leaks inquiry but remained secret for nine years.